Understanding Blind Rivet Sizing

Blind Rivet Sizes

Grip is the thickness of the material being riveted. The grip range is the minimum and maximum grip the rivet is intended to be used with.

It is very important to note that the maximum grip range is NOT the length of the rivet body. For details on grip ranges see Using Blind Rivets.

In our catalog you will see rivet sizes notated in the form:

1/8" diameter, 0.251" - 0.312"

This is a rivet with a 1/8 inch diameter body and a grip range of 0.251 inches to 0.312 inches. The same rivet would be notated in fractions as:

1/8" diameter, 1/4" - 5/16"

Occasionally you may see rivets referred to by only the diameter and maximum grip. In our example this might look like:

1/8" diameter 5/16" grip
or
1/8" x 5/16"

Trade Sizes / Part Numbers

The most common way to specify a rivet size is by 'trade size'. For example 45. The first number refers to the diameter of the rivet in 32nds of an inch. The second number refers to the maximum grip length in 16ths of an inch.

Therefore a size 45 rivet is 4/32" (1/8") diameter with a 5/16" maximum grip range. The same as our previous examples.

You will rivet trade sizes listed in our catalog in () for easy ordering.

It common for individual rivet manufacturers to use their own part numbers that include the rivet size as well as proprietary codes indicating material, rivet type, or other identifying information. For example a companies part number might look something like D45AA. Without knowing what the proprietary letter codes indicate you can still see that this is a size 45 rivet.